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and the ‘behind-the-scenes’ work involved in administrating copyright and royalties. So publishers have to dig deep into their own pockets, all for music that isn’t guaranteed to bring in a decent return. In short, contemporary classical music is not cheap to publish. That said, we know finances are difficult for our members, particularly in the current climate, and the fact that the process of producing music is costly doesn’t make that music any more affordable for you to programme. To help, we’ve negotiated a series of special deals, exclusive to Making Music members, on hire music from some of the main music publishers, including Faber Music and Josef Weinberger. There is a dedicated information sheet about music publishers available on our website, and there will be a session about working with composers at our Birmingham conference (more on this event on p16). We also have a range of other services to help you programme more contemporary music – from our Adopt a Composer scheme to a new promotion offering exclusive discounts on music by British Composer Award-winner Emily Howard. Remember, publishers are there to help. As Sarah Osborn of the Music Publishers Association says: ‘Publishers are on hand to facilitate and support performers … they recognise the valuable part Making Music and its members play in fostering and supporting composers and are committed to working more closely together for the benefit of performers and composers alike.’ Learn about the discounts available to members at www.makingmusic.org.uk/ memberdiscounts.
top tips for hiring music •
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Let the publisher know that you’re from a voluntary group that is a member of Making Music. Giving as much information as possible will enable the publisher to quote a fair price. If the price is prohibitive, tell the publisher and ask them if there’s anything they can do. They may be able to offer an extended hire period for no extra cost or offer a collection/ delivery service to save on postage charges, for example. They might even be able to agree a lower price, although no promises! Consider staging multiple performances of a piece, as publishers will sometimes offer bulk discounts. See what additional services the publisher offers, for instance giving repertoire advice, helping with promotion or even setting your group up with a composer to commission a new piece. As well as your librarian, encourage other committee members to sign up for contact with publishers so that you’re more likely to hear about these additional services. If the parts you receive are badly written, let the publisher know, as they will take this into consideration for the next edition.
Autumn 2013
“Publishers recognise the valuable part Making Music and its members play in fostering and supporting composers”
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